This is blog introduces you to the authentic Iraqi Family cookbook that includes over 150 recipes.These recipes have been handed down through many generations,from grandmothers to mothers to daughters. I encourage you to try the recipes on the blog. The first edition was a Winner of GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARD 2007. The new edition is the WINNER OF 2012 GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARD FOR "BEST ARAB CUISINE COOKBOOK"in the USA. Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow by Email

The Iraqi Family Cookbook

Purchase the new edition on Amazon

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Iraqi Cucumber Pickles-Turshi Khiyar طرشي خيار

While making my weekly visit to the farmers market, I picked
a few pounds of crispy crunchy Persian cucumbers, plus other vegetables for the
week. I decided to make some pickles.

Pickles are served with every meal in Iraq. We prepare big
jars of seasonal vegetables. In the winter, we pickle beets, turnips,
cauliflower and cabbage. During the summer, we pickle green peppers, small
eggplants, a variety of cucumbers, and green beans. When growing up in Iraq, we
used to buy bushels of these vegetables, and spend hours in the kitchen poking
these vegetables with a knife and sprinkling salt over them to drain some of
their liquid. We had the whole family, including children, and grandparents
participating in this process.

We use two methods: salt brine or vinegar. You could use
quart (32-oz) mason jars or Pint (16-oz) mason jars.

Salt Brine Method

4 pounds small cucumbers

¾ cup Kosher salt (not iodized, or fine salt)

4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Rinse the cucumbers and place in the colander to drain. Poke
each cucumber with a knife. Place in the colander and sprinkle ¼ cup of salt
over them. Leave to drain in the sink for a few hours.

In the meantime, Bring 3 cups of water, and ½ cup of sat to
a boil. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.

Stack the cucumbers in clean sterilized jars. Pour the brine
over to top jar. Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and one tablespoon of chopped
parsley to each jar and seal. When cucumbers change color, in 10 days, they are
done. Refrigerate the jars after opening.

Sometimes, we used to
put the jars under the heat of the sun to speed the pickling process.

Another method is to pour the boiling liquid over the
cucumbers and seal the top. This will speed the pickling process.

Vinegar Method

You could use white, or any light
color vinegar. You could use apple cider vinegar but will change the color of
the vegetables.

4 pound Persian cucumbers, or pickling cucumbers

4 cups vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/3 cup salt

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon sugar

In a pot, bring the vinegar, salt, garlic and spices to a
boil. Remove from heat and pour over the cucumber to top jar. Seal the jar.
Pickles will be ready within a week.

If you find the vinegar too strong, you can measure 3 cups
vinegar and 1 cup water and follow the above recipe.